


where dwell the brave at heart

by Emmar



Series: the bravest and the boldest [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Disabled Character, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-09
Updated: 2014-03-09
Packaged: 2018-01-15 04:44:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1291813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emmar/pseuds/Emmar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four boys wait for their names to be called.</p><p>(A disabled Marauders ficlet, featuring a newly-deaf and slowly-adjusting Sirius, a deaf-from-birth and bloody-minded James, a Remus who lost an arm and then some to Greyback, and a Peter who walks slowly because depth perception is hard when you only have one eye.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	where dwell the brave at heart

“Black, Sirius!”

Sirius, of course, isn’t looking at the Deputy Headmistress as she calls his name, and in any case his lip reading’s awful, so James elbows him hard in the ribs. Sirius startles, and when James points discreetly at the front of the hall, gives him a thumbs up and a grateful smile.

\---

 _My my_ , says the Sorting Hat in his ear, and Sirius fights down unexpected tears, because he can _hear_ , for the first time in almost six months. _There’s a long road ahead of you, young man._  
 _I can handle it_ , Sirius thinks in reply, more confidently than he feels, and the Hat chuckles.  
 _I believe you might, at that._

“GRYFFINDOR!”

\---

“Lupin, Remus!”

Remus lifts his chin and strides forward, putting his full weight on his leg no matter how much it hurts, because he can limp later, in the crush of other people. This moment is when people need to see him as strong. As Professor McGonagall drops the hat onto his head, he reaches up his hand to steady it, empty sleeve on the other side unfolding as he moves.

 _Feeling rather sore, I wager_ , murmurs the Sorting Hat, sounding half impressed and half exasperated. Rather like his Dad, all told. _There’s really only one place for you, lad._

“GRYFFINDOR!”

\---

“Pettigrew, Peter!”

Peter scratches anxiously at his empty socket as he makes his way to the stool, makes sure he slows down as he gets closer, edges forward until his knee touches the rough wood, then turns and sits. The Sorting Hat falls over his eye, and it whispers, _You’ve come a long way, and a long way still to go. I think I know the best place for you._

“GRYFFINDOR!”

\---

“Potter, James!”

James doesn’t need prompting to walk up to the stool, though it’s a good thing McGonagall lowered the list a little before she spoke so he could actually read her lips. When the Hat slips down over his eyes, he takes a moment to revel in utter blankness before it greets him. It’s odd, like seeing someone sign without actually _seeing_ them at all.

 _Not afraid of a little hard work, I see,_ says the Hat, and James thinks he knows where this is going.  
 _Nah_ , he thinks, _Gryffindor, please. Sirius is going to have it hard enough being a Black without everything else - nobody’s going to just tell him the password, and you know he won’t ask. It wouldn’t be fair to leave him alone there._  
 _If you insist_ , replies the Hat, but James gets the feeling it’s not as put out as the words might imply.

“GRYFFINDOR!”

\---

Minerva looks at her new lions, four in particular, and isn’t sure if she ought to thank the Sorting Hat or swear at it. Those boys are going to be a handful, and not just logistically, she can _tell_.

(Just as well, really. None of the others can deal with troublemakers quite the way she does.)


End file.
